RESTAURANT-goers are putting up with bad food because they're insecure about heading to top restaurants, a Michelin-starred chef claimed last night.

Kevin Thornton was speaking at the launch of 'Taste of Dublin' which promises a sample of what's on offer in the city's gourmet restaurants.

"People have these preconceptions that good restaurants are these formal, uninviting places with over-priced food," he said.

"But it's all in their head, it doesn't make sense to go and eat a badly-made pizza when you can get good-quality food for the right price in a decent restaurant."

The chef is owner of Thornton's Restaurant on St Stephen's Green, where dinner can cost from €95 for a five-course meal to €125 for eight courses.

The restaurant's pre-theatre menu boasts a three-course meal for €49, while a four-course lunch is €25 a head.

The chef said he hoped the June festival will open people's eyes.

"It will give people the chance to see what's out there, and to realise that Dublin's top-class restaurants are not for an elite section of society but for anyone interested in a great dining experience."

His fellow chef Kevin Dundon was on hand to help launch the festival, which will be held outdoors.

Tastings

"There will be bands and cookery demonstrations and wine and beer tastings, it's more like a giant picnic than anything else," he said.

He added that he hopes it will take some of the mystique away from gourmet food. "People can be intimidated when they think that food is too fancy for them, this is a way to break the ice, people will be able to meet the chefs, see how they cook their food, and have a bit of a laugh," said Mr Dundon.

The festival begins on June 11, running for four days in the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin city and tickets are priced at €15.